Clean Energy bid for turbine and solar site

A Newcastle clean energy group is bidding to take over two renewable energy sites in the region which are being sold off by electricity company Ausgrid.

Tenders for the Kooragang Island wind turbine and Singleton solar farm closed yesterday and the Clean Energy Association of Newcastle and Surrounds has put in a bid for both.

The Association wants the two sites to remain in public hands and any profits made from electricity generation to be invested back into the community.

Co-founder of the association Richard Finlay-Jones says there is a risk that the Kooragang turbine may have to be moved in the future.

"We'd like the turbine as it's a fairly iconic asset to remain in the Hunter Valley, preferably in the Newcastle or Lake Macquarie area," he said.

"So we don't want it to go, we don't want it to leave the area.

"We'd like it to be owned by the community so that it's generating for us and any profits that come from the asset come back to the community."

Mr Finlay-Jones says the group wants to educate the community about renewable energy options.

"We've secured $52,000 from the New South Wales Office of Environment and Heritage to look at how we can set up a fund for the local community, such that people can invest in to it and invest in renewable energy projects.

"So our goal is to invest more funds and any profits we make out of will go into investment into more renewable energy projects for the community."